Design Bid Build (DBB) and Design Build Finance Operate Maintain (DBFOM) project delivery differ in significant ways. In simplest terms, under DBB, the owner retains significant interface risk between the designer and builder and in multi-prime projects also retains integration risk across the primes. Effectively this is the “white space” risk between each of the contracting parties and is often not adequately considered in project planning, budgeting and schedule development. Multiple parties create difficulties in effective partnering and project performance is adversely impacted if these risks emerge. In all instances the owner is warranting the completeness and accuracy of the design to the contractor thus directly holding this interface risk. The use of a DBFOM project delivery approach significantly modifies the risk profile of the owner as the DBFOM contractor now assumes both this interface risk as well as the integration risk across all project elements.

1. PM World Journal Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Bid
Vol. I, Issue V – December 2012 Finance Operate Maintain Project Delivery
www.pmworldjournal.net Featured Paper Bob Prieto
Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Build Finance Operate
Maintain Project Delivery
By Bob Prieto
Design Bid Build (DBB) and Design Build Finance Operate Maintain (DBFOM) project
delivery differ in significant ways as shown in the table at the end of this article. In
simplest terms, under DBB, the owner retains significant interface risk between the
designer and builder and in multi-prime projects also retains integration risk across the
primes as shown in the following figure.
Effectively this is the “white space” risk between each of the contracting parties and is
often not adequately considered in project planning, budgeting and schedule
development. Multiple parties create difficulties in effective partnering and project
performance is adversely impacted if these risks emerge. In all instances the owner is
warranting the completeness and accuracy of the design to the contractor thus directly
holding this interface risk.
Owner
Designer Designer
Contractor Contractor Contractor
Interface Risks between Designer and Contractor
Integration Risks across Multiple Primes
© 2012 Bob Prieto www.pmworldlibrary.net Page 1 of 7

2. PM World Journal Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Bid
Vol. I, Issue V – December 2012 Finance Operate Maintain Project Delivery
www.pmworldjournal.net Featured Paper Bob Prieto
The use of a DBFOM project delivery approach significantly modifies the risk profile of
the owner as the DBFOM contractor now assumes both this interface risk as well as the
integration risk across all project elements. This can be seen clearly in the next figure.
The Owner holds risks associated with his contract with the DBFOM contractor. These
risks may include any shared risks or owner retained risks as they have negotiated.
Owner
DBFOM
CONTRACTOR
Self Perform or
Design Self Perform or Design Subcontractor
Subcontractor
Self Perform or Self Perform or Self Perform or
Sub Contractor Sub Contractor Sub Contractor
Self Perform or O&M Contractor
Examples of How Risk Transfer Differs
Let’s look at two examples to illustrate the differences between DBB and DBFOM risk
transfer.
Design Error or Omission
In a complex highway project the designer makes an error in calculating the maximum
span lengths and the supporting columns already constructed must be removed and
new, more closely spaced columns constructed. The designer’s E&O insurance is
inadequate and the designer has limited assets that will not cover the contractor’s
increased costs. The owner holds the risk and therefore the compensation due to the
contractor is from the owner. (The owner may obtain partial recovery from the Engineer
or his E&O carrier)
© 2012 Bob Prieto www.pmworldlibrary.net Page 2 of 7

3. PM World Journal Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Bid
Vol. I, Issue V – December 2012 Finance Operate Maintain Project Delivery
www.pmworldjournal.net Featured Paper Bob Prieto
Under a DBFOM approach this risk would have been transferred to the DBFOM
contractor and the owner should have no obligations to the DBFOM contractor.
Scope Not Adequately Defined
In the execution of new, complex urban rail project under a DBB approach the owner
has hired multiple engineers and contractors and is serving as the overall project
manager. He has developed detailed scope documents for each engineer and
subsequently approved the detailed scopes put out for construction bids on a low bid
basis. His scope documents though did not include any provisions for heavy
maintenance of the transit vehicles.
This necessary feature is identified late in the design and construction process and
delays initial system startup. The owner holds all risks and will bear all costs.
Under a DBFOM approach the DBFOM contractor would be given a functional
specification to safely design, build, finance, operate and maintain the desired system to
an established performance standard. This standard could not be met without a heavy
maintenance facility for the transit vehicles. The risk and any associated cost would be
fully to the DBFOM contractor’s account. Depending on his performance requirements
he may choose to implement other solutions including a more limited, but functional
temporary facility.
Unexpected Maintenance Issues beyond a Normal Warranty Period
On a major cable stayed bridge carrying an electrified rail line, accelerated corrosion of
the cables was noticed seven years after project completion and well beyond the
warranty period of the cables. Inspection of the cables shows no latent material defects
and they were installed correctly per the design drawings by the bridge builder. A review
of design drawings and specifications showed them to meet or exceed industry codes
and standards as well as the owner’s own required standards. Independent experts
suspect that transient loading of the bridge may create temporary pathways for stray
currents in ways that had not been previously understood.
Under a DBB approach the risk is retained fully by the owner as is the cost of repair or
replacement of the cables. It is an unexpected operating cost and not a warranty or
defective workmanship item.
If the owner had selected a DBFOM approach with a performance specification that
limited force majeure events to acts of god, civil strife and sovereign actions, the risk
and associated costs would be borne entirely by the DBFOM contractor and not by the
owner.
These three examples illustrate how “white space” risks, especially those related to:
 Interfaces between designer and contractor
 Integration risks across all project elements
© 2012 Bob Prieto www.pmworldlibrary.net Page 3 of 7

4. PM World Journal Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Bid
Vol. I, Issue V – December 2012 Finance Operate Maintain Project Delivery
www.pmworldjournal.net Featured Paper Bob Prieto
 Operating phase risks caused by no-fault design and construction inadequacy
are transferred from the owner to the DBFOM contractor.
The differences go well beyond risk transfer and are enumerated in the following table.
Comparison of
Design Bid Build
and
Design Build Finance Operate Maintain
Project Delivery
Parameter DBB DBFOM
Strategic Business Objectives Politically driven; technically Economically driven; technically
and funding constrained and politically constrained
Top Level Key Performance Cost and schedule Return on Investment; cash flow;
Indicators (KPIs) availability or other performance
payment indicators
Strategy Outputs focus Outcomes Focus
Government Commitment Incremental Front end loaded
Procurement Process Transparent procurement Transparent procurement
Competitive selection; limited Competitive selection;
innovation competition of ideas
Low bid construction cost Lifecycle & financing cost
competition competition
Stakeholder Management Owner responsibility Significant DBFOM role
Project Selection Step-wise decision framework Life cycle decision framework
State cannot advocate for a
Private sector may advocate for a
preferred option
preferred option
Rigorous project selection and
avoidance of political “white
elephants”
Project Management Multi-party partnering a Owner partnering focus is with
challenge for owner DBFOM contractor only
Sequential design and Parallel design and construction
construction Process Process
Procurement begins with Procurement may begin prior to
construction. construction (early design
elements).
Execution responsibility DBFOM has execution
shared between designer and responsibility
builder; owner holds
significant responsibility for
© 2012 Bob Prieto www.pmworldlibrary.net Page 4 of 7

5. PM World Journal Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Bid
Vol. I, Issue V – December 2012 Finance Operate Maintain Project Delivery
www.pmworldjournal.net Featured Paper Bob Prieto
interface risk
Scope Scope completeness a Functional performance
requirement for bidding specification completeness a
construction requirement
“Wants” enter into project Functional specification ensures
“scope” at various stages “needs” are met and the cost of
without full life-cycle impacts “wants” not incurred
being understood
Design influence throughout Limited design influence beyond
design phase what specified in functional
specification
Schedule Design process may drive Schedule drives design process
schedule
Limited schedule acceleration Incentivized schedule
opportunity performance
Budget Best estimate of cost Life-cycle cost certainty
Risk Focus Initial delivery Life Cycle
Risk Reserves Quantitative risks Quantitative and event risks
Risk Management Exposure to multi-party Disputes limited to single
disputes (derived from contractor
integration and interface
risks)
Integration Risk Integration risk (multiple Integration risk transferred to
primes) DBFOM contractor
Interface Risks Interface Risk (Design to Interface risk transferred to
Constructor) DBFOM Contractor
E&O Risk E&O risk starts with owner Owner has no E&O exposure
Change Control Continuous design influence Limited design influence; “fit for
function” test against
performance specification
Decision Making Frameworks Owner decision and review Owner decisions and reviews (less
process (e.g. change approval) changes) are more limited
extensive and lack of
timeliness adds cost and
delays
Time value of money not
Time value of money a key driver
apparent
Value Improvement Limited builder input in Builder able to significantly
planning, design or work influence planning, design and
packaging (multi-prime) work packaging.
Safety No common safety culture Common safety culture driven by
across contractors during DBFOM contractor
construction
Sustainability Objectives established; Minimum objectives established
benefits accrue to owner by owner; direct benefits accrue
to DBFOM contractor
Promotion of environmental and
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6. PM World Journal Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Bid
Vol. I, Issue V – December 2012 Finance Operate Maintain Project Delivery
www.pmworldjournal.net Featured Paper Bob Prieto
social sustainability as the DBFOM
contractor focuses on efficient use
of resources and materials over
the project lifecycle.
Quality Owner assumes responsibility DBFOM contractor responsible for
for design quality design quality
Owner undertakes quality DBFOM contractor largely
assurance of construction responsible for quality
Lifecycle Focus First cost emphasis
Life cycle cost analysis
Long term maintenance and Contractual framework increases
renewal funding may be availability of long term
uncertain maintenance and renewal funding
Warranty System warranty limited by Owner has general performance
owner operation “warranty”
Limited warranty Effectively an extended warranty
Facility Performance Owner responsible DBFOM contractor responsible to
Owner
Improved level of service,
especially for projects requiring
user charges or achievement of
performance levels for
compensation
Facility Renewal Subject to annual
Performance driven
appropriations; statutory
requirements only
Facility Turnover None Defined at time of DBFOM
contract
Public Finance Required May or may not be required
depending on DBFOM model
Preservation of public capital
capacity
Cash Flow Often annual appropriation Project financing provides needed
limited; creates inefficiencies cash flow support for efficient
execution
Skills Required Current skill sets New skill sets related to
performance specifications and
financial modeling
References:
1. Role of Project Delivery Systems in Infrastructure Improvement; Construction
Research Congress 2003; Michael J. Garvin, Ph.D., P.E.*
2. A Guidebook for the Evaluation of Project Delivery Methods; TCRP REPORT 131
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7. PM World Journal Comparison of Design Bid Build and Design Bid
Vol. I, Issue V – December 2012 Finance Operate Maintain Project Delivery
www.pmworldjournal.net Featured Paper Bob Prieto
About the Author
Bob Prieto
Senior Vice President
Fluor
Bob Prieto is a senior vice president of Fluor, one of the
largest, publicly traded engineering and construction
companies in the world. He is responsible for strategy for the firm’s Industrial &
Infrastructure group which focuses on the development and delivery of large, complex
projects worldwide. The group encompasses three major business lines including
Infrastructure, with an emphasis on Public Private Partnerships; Mining; and
Manufacturing and Life Sciences. Bob consults with owner’s of large engineering &
construction capital construction programs across all market sectors in the development
of programmatic delivery strategies encompassing planning, engineering, procurement,
construction and financing. He is author of “Strategic Program Management” and “The
Giga Factor: Program Management in the Engineering and Construction Industry”
published by the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and
“Topics in Strategic Program Management” as well as over 400 other papers and
presentations.
Bob is a member of the ASCE Industry Leaders Council, National Academy of
Construction and a Fellow of the Construction Management Association of America.
Bob served until 2006 as one of three U.S. presidential appointees to the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC), working with U.S.
and Asia-Pacific business leaders to shape the framework for trade and economic
growth and had previously served as both as Chairman of the Engineering and
Construction Governors of the World Economic Forum and co-chair of the infrastructure
task force formed after September 11th by the New York City Chamber of Commerce.
Previously, he established a 20-year record of building and sustaining global revenue
and earnings growth as Chairman at Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), one of the world’s
leading engineering companies. Bob Prieto can be contacted at Bob.Prieto@fluor.com.
© 2012 Bob Prieto www.pmworldlibrary.net Page 7 of 7